Article controlled release mechanism



Sept. 11, 1951 K. o. ODEN ARTICLE CONTROLLED RELEASE MECHANISM FOR POSTAL FRANKING MACHINES 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 8, 946

Sept. 11, 1951 K. o. ODEN ARTICLE CONTROLLED RELEASE MECHANISM FOR POSTAL FRANKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1946 Sept. 11, 1951 K. o. ODEN ARTICLE CONTROLLED RELEASE MECHANISM FOR POSTAL FRANKING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 8, 1946 .the length of the letter being too great.

Patented Sept. 11, 1951 2,567,493 OFF-VICE" NISM FOR POSTAL FRANKING MACHINES Knut Oscar Odn, Stockholm; Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget .Hadar Schmidt, Stockholm,

Sweden Application July 8, 1946, Serial No.- 68l,971

In- Sweden Octoberfi, 1943 8 Claims. (Cl. 101 -235 This invention relates to postal franking machines of the type in which a crank or handle isadapted to feed the letters through the machine in order to get the letters franked, that is, printed with the postage values, and which a-sensing member for a letter introduced into the machine, is connected by means of a lever with a revolution stop for said crank or handle, in such a way that the revolution stop is moved from a locking position when a letter is introduced into the machine.

. The invention has for its object to create, in machines of said type, a device by means of which the revolution stop is, independently of the different thicknesses of the letters, locked again after one revolution of the handle or crank even if at this moment the letter has not yet entirely passed the sensing member because of A further object is to obtain this result by means of a device which is easily actuated and is reliable in operation. According to one feature of the invention a coupling or clutch is arranged in the connection from the sensing member to the revolution stop, which clutch is not disengaged under the action of the sensing member until this member has performed a movement which is of greater magnitude than that caused by a letter of normal thickness.

According to another feature of the invention means are provided for lifting an introduced letter of usual thickness, to effect said greater movement, as well as means for effecting this lifting only after the crank or handle hasbeen turned from locking position.

' According to another feature of the invention, when said greater movement is effected by introducing a letter of an especially great thickness, the revolution stop is engaged by a holding dog which is again released'after the crank or handle has been turned from the locking position. 7

According to another feature of the invention a cam disc having a zero position recess, is securely mounted on the same shaft as the curved disc of the revolution stop, said zero position disc being adopted to engage a zerc'position stop and thereby to hold the crank or handle in a such zero position that the revolution stop can be moved from the locking position without frictional resistance.

One embodiment of adevice according to the invention is by way of example illustrated diagrammatically in. the annexed drawings.

f Figs. 1A and 1B are vertical elevations, on the line'I-I of Fig. 2, showing the essential elements of a franking machine but omitting details not essential-f he'understanding of the invention. 'Fig; 2" s ws'a vertical cross section on the ine'I I- rm Fig. 1B, the dog and the zero posicain disc withth'e zero. position stop being mit,

2 Fig. 3 shows the same cross secti'on as Fig.2 bu h d ai be 7 the pos qn w 'h occupy aft'er the introduction'of .a thin (light) letter into the machine. i v

Fig. 4 shows the same cross section as Fig." 2 but the dog and the other details being in the position which they occupy after the introduction of a thick (heavy) letter. I

v Fig. 5 shows a cross ,sectionon an e'nlarged scale, the zeroposition cam disc and thezro position stop being in a position corresponding to m t r i .4. 1'

Fig. 6 "shows on another scale a modification of the franking'machine, as seen from the front sideand in a longitudinal vertical'section. Fig. 7 shows a vertical cross section substanjtially on the lineVII-VII in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross section of ome details substantially on the line VIIL-VIII of Fig. 6.

In the drawings, see especially Figs. 1Aan.d1B, reference numeral I denotes the bottom" plate of the machine, 2 one of the end-walls, 3 the other end-wall, 4 aninterme'diate wall, 5 a crank or handle to feed or move the" letters through the machine for franking the same, viz. printing postage values on the letters, and 6 a table for the letters. Between the walls 2 and A the wellknown totalizers of the machine with associated means (not shown) as well'as some other details; among them also details of] the present device, are arranged. j The printing drum 9 (Fig. 2) carrying the printing stamps 9" is mounted on the right end portion (Figs. 1A and 1B of the shaft 1 "of the actuating crank handle 5,that is between the wa11s'3 and 4', the shaft 1 extending through the whole machine. A counter pressure roller 8 (Figs. 2-4) mounted below the printing drum, is moved upwards against theprinting drum when the letters are to be fed through the machine. In the embodiment shown the printing drum-9 "is located a "substantial distance above the table 6', as indicated in Fig. '2, and the counter pressure roller 8 is positively driven only dur'--v inga part of the revolution of-the'printing drum,- viz. from a moment just before the'stamps 9 ofthe printing drum engage the letter. "This driving of the counter pressure roller iseffected in 'any' suitable "well-known way, for instance from a Maltese" cross wheel on the shaft (as letter P (Fig. '3) or P" (Fig. 4) is introduced to contact with these two members I which serve as stops to limit the introduction of the letters. The members II! are resiliently mounted in radial slots in the counter roller and are adapted to be forced or drawn into the counter pressure roller when this roller is lifted against the printing drum.

A fork-shaped rocking element comprising an intermediate piece I6 and two lateral legs I1, I8 is pivoted on a horizontal shaft I which is mounted between the walls 2 and 4 and is parallel to the main shaft 1. One of the legs, viz. the revolution stop leg I1, is by the action of its weight held in engagement with a stop shoulder I9 on the revolution stop cam disc I3 which is fixed to the main shaft 1. The other leg, viz. the control leg I8, carries a coupling pawl 2| pivoted on a horizontal axis 20. This pawl is by means of a spring 22 yieldingly depressed into a substantially horizontal position in which it is engaged by a coupling dog 23 which is pivoted on a horizontal axis 24. This axis is carried by one end of a double armed lever 26, 21 which is pivoted in the intermediate wall 4 by means of an axis 25 and is balanced by means of a. counter weight 28. Under the action of a body 23' serving as counter weight the coupling dog 23 is normally held in a position in which it projects beneath the coupling pawl 2| and is engaged by the same. One arm 21 of the balanced lever constitutes the sensing member for the letters and the other arm 26 of the same constitutes a control member for the rocker I6, I1, I8. The spring coupling or clutch 2|, 22, 23 disposed between the control arm 26 of the balanced lever and the control leg I8 of the rocker is of such construction, that the dog 23 is drawn upwards past the pawl 2| and will release this pawl when the sensing arm 21 is swung upwards approximately into the position shown in Fig. 4, either this is effected already by the introduction of a heavy letter P" against the shoulders I0, as in Fig. 4, or when a light letter P is lifted against the printing drum during the upward motion of the counter roller 8.

A holding dog 3| mounted on a pin 30 in the frame of the machine, is disposed in such manner, that the revolution stop leg I1 with its projection I1 engages the dog when the sensing arm 21, after disengagement of the spring clutch 2|, 22, 23, has performed a lifting movement of sufficient magnitude. Said dog is not shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in order to make these figures more clear, but is illustrated in Figs. 1A, 4, and 5. The holding dog 3| is provided with a releasingarm 32 whichJis'securely attached to'the dog and by means of which the dog is lifted out from engagement with the revolution stop leg I1 after the spring clutch connection 2|, 22, 23 provided between the rocker I6, I1, I8 and the balanced lever 26, 21, has been interrupted and after the handle ,5 has been turned through an angle of such magnitude that the revolution stop disc I3 has moved from looking position.

For this purpose themain shaft 1 is provide with a second cam disc 33 which is arranged beside the revolution stop disc I9 and is coaxial with the same, and a lever 34 carrying a cam follower roller 35 is yieldingly held against said disc 33 under the action of a draw spring 31 connected with a spring holding member 36 in the frame of the machine (these details are shown only in Fig. 5). When the handle 5 and the shaft 1 are in the locking position, the lever 34 with its roller 35 is in a recess in the disc 33. In turning the 4 shaft 1 the cam follower roller 35 runs up on the raised portion of the circumference of the disc 33, the lever 32 then being actuated by the lever 34 and releasing the dog 3| from engagement with the revolution stop leg I1.

Furthermore, the disc 33 is adapted, by its engagement with the cam follower roller 35, to hold the main shaft 1 together with the revolution stop disc I9 in such zero position, that a clearance is present between the engaging end of the revolution stop leg I1 and the locking shoulder I9 of the revolution stop disc I9 and, thus, the firstmentioned element may be moved from the locking position without any frictional resistance. Consequently, the disc 33 at the same time serves as a zero positioning disc. However, it is of course possible to arrange a separate zero positioning cam disc.

Now, the manner of action when a letter P of usual thickness (a thin or light letter) is introduced, is to be described. When a light letter P is introduced to contact with the shoulders II of the counter pressure roller 8, the sensing arm 21 is lifted so much that the revolution stop leg I1 is lifted from its engagement with the revolution stop disc I9, but the spring clutch 2|, 22, 23 is not disengaged. The parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 3. If now the operator, for any reason, should desire to take out the letter again, he may do so and the machine thereby locked again without any necessity of turning the handle one revolution, the machine being ready for a new run when a new letter is introduced. When the operator, after the introduction of the letter P, begins to turn the handle, at first the parts 3|, 32 are actuated by the lever 34, but this actuation is only an idle one and said parts have no purpose to fulfill in franking light letters. After the printing drum in the continued rotation of the handle has turned its franking stamps downwards, the counter roller 8 will lift the letter upwards against the printing drum and the sensing arm 21 is lifted correspondingly, the spring clutch 2|, 22, 23 now being disengaged because the dog 23 slides over the pawl 2|. Thus, the revolution stop leg I1 will drop onto the revolution stop disc I9, so that the revolution stop leg I1 can arrest the revolution stop cam disc I9 when this disc has made one revolution. The interruption of the connection between the rocker and the balanced lever is necessary in order to stop the handle after one revolution even if the letter. is of such great length that it in this moment has not passed entirely by the sensing arm, After the letter has entirely passed the sensing arm 21, by being drawn out by hand, the balanced lever 26, 21 returns to its position of rest (Fig. 2), the dog 23 passing downwards over the pawl 2| and engaging the pawl under the action of the counter weight 23'.

When a heavy letter P of especially great thickness is introduced, the operation is another. At the very moment when the letter is inserted, the sensing arm is lifted to such high position, that the spring clutch 2 I, 22, 23 is disengaged and the revolution stop leg I1 is caught by the holding dog 3|. Now, the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5. If the operator then begins to turn the shaft, by means of the handle, the holding dog 3| is released by the elements 32, 34, so that the revolution stop leg I1 will again drop onto the revolution stop disc I9. Thus, this is effected not until the locking shoulderIS of the revolution stop disc I 9 has moved from the locking position in the direction of the arrow shown inFigs. 4 and 5. Consequently, the revolution stop leg I1 is ready to stop the handle 5 and the shaft 1' after the disc I9 has made a complete revolution. After the letter has passed entirely by the sensing arm 21, the details return to the position of Fig. 2, in the manner already described.

It Will be understood that if the holding dog .3'I Iwere not provided, the revolution stop leg I1 would drop back into engagement with the locking: shoulder of the revolution stop disc immediately upon the introduction of the heavy letter P"'to contact with the shoulders I and after the disengagement of the spring clutch 2I, 22, 23 consequently it then would not be possible to turn the handle. Thus, the holding dog 3I is provided only in view of the possibility of using the machine for the franking of letters of especially great thickness. If it would be possible to devise the machine only for the franking of. light letters, the holding dog 3| would not be required, because in this case the spring clutch" 2I, 22, 23 is disengaged, viz. the connection between the rocker and the balanced lever is interrupted not until the locking shoulder of the revolution stop disc has moved from the looking position. However, regardless of whether the letters are light or heavy, the revolution stop leg I1 is moved from the engagement with the revolution stop disc just as the letter is inserted to contact with the shoulders I0 of the counter roller 8.

The device described and illustrated is of a comparatively simple construction and operates in a reliable manner. It is easily actuated and the letter causes a motion of only small weights when operating the sensing arm. The resistance which the letter has to overcome, is only that of the unbalanced weights of the details which take part in the movement of operation. Of courseit would be possible to use springs for returning these details to the position of rest, but it is preferred to use the device illustrated,in which the own weight of the details (the gravity) performs this action.

: In Figs. 6, '1 and 8 the reference numeral IOI indicates the bottom plate of the machine, I02 one of the end-walls, I03, the other end-wall, I04 the intermediate .w jllg, I05 the crank or handle, I06 the table, I 01-t-he main shaft geared to the handle, I08 the counter pressure roller, I09 the-printing drum,.v and I09 the printing stamps. The roller I08 is journalled on knee levers H0 mounted on stationary pins III in the frame. By means of the tension springs II2 the levers are held against pins II3 on rocking elements II4 also mounted on the stationary pins III. A link H6 has one end connected with the rocking elements at I I5 and has its other end connected with an arm II1. This arm is securely mounted on the shaft II8 rotatably mounted in the frame. A second arm H9 is attached to the shaft H8 and carries a roller I which is cooperating with a cam disc I2I securely mounted on the shaft I01. I01 carries also a gear wheel I22 fixed to the same and meshing with a second gear I23 mounted on the shaft I24. This shaft I24 is connected with the central shaft I25 of the counter pressure roller I08 by means of the tubular shaft I26 and two universal joints. The gear wheel I22 has its teeth entirely cut away on a portion of its circumference as indicated by I22 The shaft I23 only when the toothed part of wheel I22 meshes with Wheel I23, but during the remaining part of the revolution there are no teeth on the wheel I22 to engage and drive the wheel I23, but the portion I21 of the disc I21 will be in sliding engagement with the tooth I23 and will hold wheel I23 against rotation by engaging the tops of the teeth of wheel I23. The parts I22, I23, and I 21 constitute a kind of Maltese cross gear operating intermittently and driving the pressure roller I08 only during a part of. the revolution of the printing drum I09.

In the position of rest the details are in the position illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. After a letter has been introduced on the table I06, the shaft I01 is rotated by means of the handle I05. Thereby, the roller I20 is operated by the cam disc I2 I, and the levers IIO are rocked by means of the arms H9, H1, the line H6, and the spring II2 such that the counter roller is lifted immediately before the printing operation and thereby the letter is raised to contact the printing drum. At the same time the-counter pressure roller is driven over the mechanism I22, I23,. I24, I25, I26, whereby the letter is'fed through the machine and the franking value is printed thereon when the. stamps or printing types I09 engage the letter. The Maltese cross gear I22, I23, I21 is such that the counter pressure roller starts its rotation not until the stamps I09 engage the letter, and this positive rotation is continued until the letter is delivered from the machine. Then, the roller I20 slides on a lower portion of the cam disc I2 I, whereby the counter pressure roller is lowered to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

What I claim is:

l. A machine for printing franking values directly'upon letters inserted in the same, comprising, in combination a printing drum, a handle for actuating the machine to move letters through themachine for printing postage values upon said letters, a revolution stop for said handle, for locking said handle when in a looking position, and allowing movement of said handle when in a position of release, a movable sensing member for sensing the presence of a letter introduced into the machine, a lever connection between said sensing member and said revolution stop, to move said stop from looking position to unlocked position when a letter is introduced into the machine, a clutch arranged in said connection for disengaging said connection and having means for delaying disengagement of said lever connection until after said sensing member ha performed a movement of greater magnitude than that caused by .a letter of a predetermined thickness, and a counter pressure roller mounted below said printing drum and movable upwards against said drum after the handle has been moved from its initial position, to lift an introduced letter of predetermined thickness whereby the sensing'membe'r is moved further and the stop is freed to return to looking position.

2 A machine for printing franking values directly upon letters inserted in the same, comprising, in combination, a printing drum, a handle to rotate said drum and to move letters through the machine to have postage values printed thereon, a revolution stop for said handle, for locking said handle when in a locking position, and allowing movement of said handle when in a position of release, a movable sensing member for sensing the presence of a letter introduced into the machine, a lever connection between said sensing member and said revolution stop, to move said stop from locking position to unlocked position when a letter is introduced into the machine, a clutch arranged in said connection for disengaging said connection and having means for delaying disengagement of said lever connection until after said sensing member has performed a movement of greater magnitude than that caused by a letter of a predetermined thickness, a counter pressure roller mounted a definite distance under the printing drum and movable upwards against the same after the' handle has been turned from its initial position to lift an introduced letter of predetermined thickness and thereby to lift the sensing member, a dog for holding the revolution stop out of locking position upon insertion of a letter of greater than the predetermined thickness, and means for releasing the revolution stop from said dog after the handle has been turned from its initial position.

'3. A machine for printing franking values directly upon letters inserted in the same, comprising, in combination, a printing drum, a handle to rotate said drum and to move letters through the machine to have postage values printed thereon, a revolution stop for said handle, a horizontally pivoted double armed lever, one arm of which constitutes a ensing member for a letter introduced into the machine, a lever connection between the other arm and said revolution stop, to move said stop from locking position to unlocked position when a letter is introduced into the machine, a clutch arranged in said connection for disengaging said connection when released and having means for delaying disengagement of the clutch until after said sensing arm has performed a movement of greater magnitude than that caused by a letter of predetermined thickness, a counter roller mounted a definite distance under the printing drum and movable upwards against the same after the handle has been turned from its initial position to lift a letter introduced to contact with the counter roller and also to lift the sensing arm, a dog for holding the revolution stop out of locking position upon insertion of a letter of greater than predetermined thickness, and means for releasing the revolution stop from said dog after the handle has been turned from looking position so that the stop returns to position for locking the handle upon completion of cycle of operation.

4. A machine for printing franking values directly upon letters inserted in the same, comprising, in combination, a printing drum, a handle to rotate said drum and to move letters through the machine to have postage values printed thereon, a horizontally pivoted double armed lever, one arm of which constitutes a sensing member for a letter introduced into the machine, the;double-armed lever being caused to swing by engagement of the sensing arm with a letter, a horizontally pivoted fork-shaped rocker, one leg of which constitutes a revolution stop for the handle and the other leg of which is releasably connected with the other arm of said double armed lever, so that when the sensing arm is engaged by a lever the stop is rocked to unlocked position, a clutch between the double armed lever and the rocker for disengaging the connection between said lever and said rocker said clutch having means for delaying disengagement of said connection between the lever and rocker until said sensing arm has performed a movement of greater magnitude than that caused by a letter of usual thickness, a counter roller mounted spaced beneath the printing drum and movable upwards against the same after the handle has been turned from its initial position, to lift a letter introduced into contact with the drum and thereby also to lift the sensing arm, a dog for holding the revolution stop leg out of locking position upon insertion of a letter of greater than ordinary thickness, and means for releasing the revolution stop leg from said holding dog after the handle has been turned from its initial position so that the stop returns to position for locking the handle upon completion of the cycle.

5. A franking machine as claimed in claim 4, and in which the clutch comprises in part a coupling pawl which is horizontally pivoted on the rocker and which is yieldingly depressed by a spring into an approximately horizontal posi-- tion, and in part a coupling dog which is horizontally pivoted on the double armed lever and is normally held by yieldable means in engagement under the coupling pawl but is adapted to be drawn upwards over the coupling pawl to disengage the same by the action of the double armed lever either when the counter roller lifts a letter of usual thickness, or at the very moment when a letter of especial great thickness is introduced.

6. A franking machine as claimed in claim 4 and in which the revolution stop leg is positioned to rest upon a revolution stop cam disc after the rocker has been disconnected from the double armed lever and to drop onto said revolution stop disc after one revolution, to stop this disc even if the letter on account of great length has not fully passed the sensing arm. 7. A franking machine as claimed in claim 4, and in which the same shaft carries a revolution stop cam disc and a zero position cam disc having a zero position recess, and that a zero positioningstop holdssaid zero disc in such zero position that a clearance is present between the revolution stop leg and the revolution stop disc. 8. A franking' machine as claimed in claim 4, and means for driving the counter roller positively only during a part of the revolution of the printing drum, that is, from a moment immediately before the franking stamps of the printing drum engage the latter.

KNUT OSCAR oDEN.

REFERENCES CITED 1 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,358,401 Knauer Sept. 19, I944 

